M e r o d i a

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

2009-10-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

Original Author : CLAMP

Status : Completed (233 Chapters)

Genre : Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Shounen

Sakura is the princess of Clow country, that possesses a great power that able to affect the world’s flow. Syaoran is an archeologist that really loves his job so much. Two of them are childhood friends, even though their status sometimes made Syaoran feels to behave toward Sakura. They live their live in Clow country as usual, until that night. Sakura, who controlled by strange power, came to Clow ruins, and have all her feathers flew away and unconcious. The priest, Yukito, told Syaoran to take Sakura to the witch dimesion. And then Yukito sent them to witch’s dimension.

There, they met with the other two from another world. Kurogane, who desired to return to his original world, and Fai, who desired not to return to original world. Syaoran, who desired to collect all feathers that flew to another world. Each of Sakura’s feather holds her power and part of her memory. Both of them have their purpose and Yuko, the witch dimension told them to traveled to another world together, and not for free. Each of them has to pay the price for their will. And so their travel began…

This’s one of CLAMP’s masterpiece that just ended the series at chapter 233. The special poin about this manga is CLAMP revived almost all of their previous manga’s character into this series. All mixed up well and have role even just a bit. The main character, Sakura and Syaoran, taken from Card Captor Sakura series. Yuko and Watanuki, taken from their other series xxxHolic. xxxHolic released almost in the same time as TRC, seems like manga pair. The connection of these manga really clear. If you want to understand the story completely, I suggest you read those two series. The only original main character are Fai and Kurogane.

Tsubasa Chronicle (TV)

Producers : Bee Train, CLAMP, Kodansha, NHK, FUNimation Entertaintment, NHK Enterprises

Episodes : 52 (will update if there’s another season)
Opening Songs :
OP1 Blaze by Kotani Kinya

OP2 It’s by Kotani Kinya
Ending Songs :

ED1 Loop by Sakamoto Maaya

ED2 Kazemachi Jet by Sakamoto Maaya

Tsubasa: Tori Kago no Kuni no Himegimi

The theme is the same, arrived at another world, to search Sakura’s feather. The story never been in manga.

Episodes : 1

Opening Songs :

OP Aerial by Kotani Kinya

Ending Songs :

ED Amurita by Yui Makino

Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations (OVA)

Actually, this’s part of the manga, that turned into one ova

Episodes : 3
Opening Songs :
OP Synchronicity by Yui Makino
Ending Songs :

ED Saigo no Kajitsu by Sakamoto Maaya

Tsubasa: Shunraiki

Same like Tokyo Revelations

Episodes: 2

Opening Songs :
OP Sonic Boom by Sakamoto Maaya
Ending Songs :

ED Kioku no Mori by FictionJunction YUUKA

My thoughts:

This’s the best cross-over that I ever read. All mixed up well and the storyline not boring and I enjoy reading it. The anime is adaptation from the manga, so most of it all the same. I like it very much when Yuko said this, “Nothing in this world is a coincidence. Everything is Hitsuzen”. This’s the best quote I ever read, and really moved me. At first, this series seems very light and just ordinary adventure. But, it isnt CLAMP if they don't make interesting and twisting plot. I satisfied with the ending, while some people want more TRC. I think it's best this way. I have a doubt that CLAMP will continue this series at xxxHolic, since that series havent end yet, and the bond between this two series is really tight.
9/10 for TRC, nice work CLAMP!!

Get Backers

2009-05-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

Original Author : Aoki Yuuya (story) & Ayamine Rando (art)
Status : Completed (39 volumes)
Genre : Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Ecchi, Shounen, Supranatural

Meet Amano Ginji, as know as 'Raitei', who can generate electric power from his body like an eel. And Midou Ban, that possessed mysterious power from his family, the 'evil eye' known as Jagan, that can give illusion to whoever see his eyes for one minutes. Together they form a team named GetBackers, there's nothing that they can't retrieve with 100% of success retrieval. But they have one big problem. They have to get some client first, or they can't feed their starving stomach.

Along the story, they'll meet new friends that have different abilities. There's Fuuchouin Kazuki, titled as Kazuki no Ito, the one who masters Fuuchouin Style of controlling strings as both weapon or shield. And there's Fuyuki Shido, one who can communicates and order animals, even imitates animal's behaviour to use it as his weapon. There're many more other than these two. The main story will occur at 'Mugenjou', dark side of the town.The mystery, the fight, and the fate between themselves, while struggling to 'Archive'

GetBackers
Producers : Studio DEEN, TBS, Kodansha, Rond Robe, Rakuonsha, ADV Films
Episodes : 49 (end)
Opening Songs :
OP1 Yuraga Koto Nai Ai by Naomi Tamura
OP2 Barairo no Sekai by Pierrot
Ending Songs :
ED1 Ichibyou no Refrain by Otoha
ED2 Namida no Hurricane by Bon Bon Blanco
ED3 Mr. Deja Vu by Naja
ED4 Changin' by Nona Reeves

My thought :
This's a nice action series. Every case solve with unpredictable solution, that made me hard to predict. Have nice comedy in it too, especially when Ginji turn into chibi mode and cry when he bullied by his friends. I must say I kinda disappointed wiith the anime, because it's not showing the whole things about Getbackers. But basically the anime is okay, funny, and have good opening and ending songs. About the manga, have a good art, easy to understand, and even too cool to describe such of actions and effects.

Vampire Knights

2009-04-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

Original Author : Matsuri Hino
Status : Ongoing
Genre : Action, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, School Life, Tragedy, Shoujo, Supernatural

There's an academy named Cross Academy, where the classes are divided into two types, Night Class and Day Class. These two class forbid to have any interaction, because all the student of night class are vampires, that lead by Kuran Kaname. Kurosu Yuuki, together with her partner, Kiriyuu Zero become Guardians of Cross Academy, to protect the peaceful relationship between Night Class and Day Class, where all of the vampires eager to human's blood.

Vampire Knight
Producers : Studio DEEN, NAS
Episodes : 13 (end)
Opening Song : Futatsu no Kodou to Akai Tsumi by ON/OFF
Ending Song : Still Doll by Kanon Wakeshima

Vampire Knight Guilty
Producers : DEEN
Episodes : 13 (end)
Opening Song : Rinne ~Rondo~ by ON/OFF
Ending Song : Suna no Oshiro by Kanon Wakeshima

My thought :
Both Vampire Knight and Vampire Knight Guilty adapted from the manga. Even in the end of the Guilty series, the story hasn't over yet, and will continue, as well as in manga. This's one of the top bloody series of anime/manga. The plot at first seems so girly, like a feeling toward senpai that Yuuki showed. And then suddenly the plot twist up to unpredictable way. The artwork is as great as always. This series is the longest series made by Hino-sensei, and still ongoing in Japan. Two thumbs up for Vampire Knight.

Shinshi Doumei Cross

2009-04-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

Alternate Title : The Gentlemen Alliance Cross
Original Author : Tanemura Arina
Status : Completed (11 volumes)
Genre : Comedy, Drama, Gender Bender, Romance, School, Shoujo

Welcome to Imperial Academy, a private school for the aristocracy. This academy have special ranking system among the students, depend on student's wealth. There're copper, silver, gold. The only student ranked gold is the leader of student council, called "Koutei". The last is Platinum, this rank is for Koutei's couple.

Otomiya Haine, a girl that assign as one of student council member, find herself trying to find her own place among the other members, especially Tougu Shizumasa, the one she have her eyes on, as known as Koutei of the academy. Before Haine even realized, she already become one of member council, that keep many secrets about theirselves, and about Haine herself too.

My Thought :
Good manga, have interesting twist of story, especially when new main characters appear. Haine, the heroine, holds many unrevealed secrets, this's one of plus point of this manga. Interesting to follow and not too boring. A must read for shoujo-readers, who like romance. The artwork magnificent, as I expect from Arina-sensei. This's the longest manga of Arina-sensei's, since the longest manga Arina-sensei made was 7 volumes. Too bad there's no sign about this series being produced as an anime.